UPDATE 1-AIRSHOW-Engine maker CFM eyes record orders in 2014

FARNBOROUGH, England, July 13 CFM International
expects another record year for engine orders, its chief
executive said on Sunday, adding the company, which earlier in
the day announced an order from American Airlines, had
bid for an engine deal with easyJet.

"When we see the number of orders already achieved at this
time of year and when we compare this figure with the previous
year ... then we are about to achieve another record year in
2014," Jean-Paul Ebanga told journalists at an event ahead of
the Farnborough air show, which runs from July 14-20.

CFM, a joint venture between Safran and GE,
has garnered orders for 2,071 engines so far in 2014 to the end
of June, driven by its new Leap engine for the Airbus
A320neo and the Boeing 737 Max narrow-body planes.

It last year pulled in orders for 2,723 engines.

It earlier reported it had been picked by American Airlines
to provide engines for 100 Airbus A320neo jets the airline has
on order, in a deal worth $2.6 billion at list prices.

When asked about media reports that easyJet was poised to
order CFM engines to power 100 A320neo planes, Ebanga told
Reuters CFM had made an offer to the low cost carrier, but that
it was up to the airline to decide now.

CFM competes with Pratt & Whitney, a division of United
Technologies Corp, to supply engines for the A320neo.

Ebanga highlighted CFM had provided the engines for
easyJet's first Boeing planes and that the airline was its
biggest customer for the CFM56-5B engine.

"We have grown up with them, we hope the adventure will
continue," he said.

Executives at the briefing also said CFM was on schedule
with testing and certification for its new Leap engine, with the
first variant due to come into service in 2016, and that the
company was working hard to ensure it was ready to increase
production to 1,800 engines per year by 2020 from the current
rate of 1,500.

Executive Vice-President Cedric Goubet said the company was
also looking to make improvements on the Leap engine further
down the line, once it has come into service, using new
technology such as lighter weight materials or additive
manufacturing.

"We will be ready at the relevant time to respond to a
potential market demand in terms of further improvement of the
engine after the entry into service," he said.

The use of new composites on fan blades and other components
means the Leap already shaves 1,000 pounds (450 kilogrammes) off
the weight of a plane. Goubet said it should be possible to
reduce the weight further by hundreds of pounds.
(Reporting by Victoria Bryan and Cyril Altmeyer; Editing by
Mark Potter)

WASHINGTON, Dec 9 Aetna Inc's chief
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convince a federal judge to approve the deal.

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